


Satin and Stone

by edlington (stealingtime)



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dance, Dancing, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Homelessness, Implied Suicide Attempt, Mentions of Suicide, Multi, Romance, Slow Build, Slurs, Trans Character, Transphobia, Unrequited Love, Unresolved Sexual Tension, dance, dance au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-24
Updated: 2015-08-28
Packaged: 2018-03-08 20:57:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 14,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3223211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stealingtime/pseuds/edlington
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose is a ballerina. The best Skaia Dance School has to offer, in fact. To her, hip-hop and new, alternitave-style dancers are the lowest of low. They dance to modern music, mindless noise, and she can't stand how the school brings them in. </p><p>Jade scores a dance scholarship to Skaia Dance School, suddenly taken from her life of dancing (and living) on the streets to a prestigious boarding school.<br/>Now, if only she could figure out why the pretty ballerina hates her guts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> FIRST OFF I KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT DANCING PLS DONT HATE ME (also: correct me ple as e)

**J A D E**

When you dance, it it more than just movement. Your heart, your soul, and your mind synchronize, and then the real magic happens. The music doesn't matter to you, whatever the "DJ's" on street corners and underground dance competitions play. All you need is a beat, and you can dance. 

Tonight, it's Bangarang. You've heard it on radios and in corner stores, by some dubstep guy you don't care about. The announcer yells out your names. The other girl goes by "Pantherlily". You suppose you have no room to judge, as your stage name is "Dragonite". 

The music stars, and your opponent stars. She's all about enthusiasm and her curvy body, but her moves work well and she's definitely going to be a challenge.

 _Sh-sh-sh-shouts to all my lost boys, we rowdy~  
_ You step in and get the crowd rowdy, starting simple. You draw the attention to you, pulling them away from Pantherlily. The two of you dance circles around each other. The slower part of the song starts and she's all grinding and _bam!_ a slutdrop. She's talented, but you have this.  
  
The base starts to build up, and you roll your body once. When the base drops, so do you. 

You catch yourself on your hands, pushing yourself up into a handstand twist before dropping your legs down into an upside down crouch and shifting to one of your hands. Next you spread your legs into a split in the air before dropping and rolling into a standing position. Then it's your usual hip-rolls and more low-key moves until the end. The song finishes and you swing your hand above your head, drawing cheers from the crowd.  
  
"Now, now, calm yourselves!" The announcer calls, and the crowd quiets. "We gotta choose our winner, aint we?" The crowd roars in approval. "If y'all think Pantherlily should win, make some noise!" The cheers are loud, loud enough that you have to focus on your heartbeat so you don't wince. 

It's worryingly loud. 

"Now, if you're a Dragon girl who wants our home girl Dragonite to win, you know the drill!" The screams that follow are loud, louder than hers, _please you need this money-_

The yells die down, and the announcer laughs. "Ay, I think we have our winner! The hundred dollar prize goes to... Pantherlily!"

Pantherlily freaks out, and you sigh. You smile at her and shake her hand, waving to the crowd, before grabbing your bag and making your way to the exit. You needed that money for food this month, for shelter even, and you lost. You think about kicking a wall, but you need your feet for competitions. You need them to dance, and if you fuck up your feet, you're dead. 

Footsteps behind you. You ignore them and keep walking.

"Hey! Dragonite!" You turn at that, masking your suprise when a lady in an honest-to-god business suit walks briskly towards you. Her skin is dark and her suit is darker, with green trim. "My name is Mariella Snowman, and I want to offer you a scholarship." 

You scoff at that, looking over the woman doubtfully. "Sorry, lady," you reply, turning away. "To go to school, you need a place to live, and I ain't got one of those."

The lady has to jog to keep up with your long legs (you're 6'0" and she must be barely 5"3") and you have to admire her dedication. "It's a dance school," she says, and you shake your head. "And it's boarding."

You stop still at that, and Ms. Snowman smiles.  
You look down, kicking the ground a little. "Is it full ride?" you mumble, and Ms. Snowman smirks. 

"But of course! Now, would you like to come back to the school with me?"

You nod, glancing up at the sky. You hope that this is an honest new chance for you.

The stars twinkle, and you follow Ms. Snowman into the night.


	2. Ballerina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose is beautiful. Too bad she hates your guts.

**J A D E**

You look around Ms. Snowman's office when you wake up (you slept on her couch the night before) and note it's simple decor. Multiple figures of people mid-dance sit on a shelf, accompanied by trophies and photos. Ex-students, you guess.

It turns out Ms. Snowman is a talent scout for the _oh_ so prestigious Skaia Dance School, and she figured they could use someone like you. Last night was all about the paperwork, and she's getting your schedule sorted out now.

"So, Ms. Harley, classes for the week start tomorrow! You can use any dance rooms that are free and _this,_ " she says, handing over what looks like a smartphone, "is for music and communicating with other students. Create a username whenever, it's a regular student-issue phone, so no texting capabilities." She says, and you nod. You're not gonna complain about no texting, because holy  _shit,_ you have a roof over your head and an education coming and a fucking  _smartphone._ This is everything compared to what you had before. 

Ms. Snowman continues, saying "Your dorm is Beta Suite 123, and you can drop your things off there. Your roommate has been notified. You'll be taken to purchase clothes suitible for dancing, formal wear, and casual wear at noon, courtesy of the school. Once a month you'll be checked on by Social Services, who will measure your living standards to see if they meet expectations. Understand?" 

You nod vigorously. "Thank you Ms. Snowman, this means the world to me, you've probably saved my life by doing this." You say, honest as you can be.

Ms. Snowman smiles. "Well, it would be a crime to see such beautiful dancing die out, wouldn't it? Now, skedaddle! I'll be seeing you for partner dancing first thing tomorrow, and group practice at 2:30. Go!"

You walk out of the office and take a deep breath, smiling. Your name is Jade Harley, and you have the feeling today will be a great day.

You end up in a practice room, downloading a couple of songs and hooking your phone up to a speaker. The beat of some Britney Spears remix starts, and you dance.

-

**R O S E**

You hear beats of a hip-hop song when you walk past practice room 3, and you scowl. Stupid hip-hop dancers and their stupid, loud music. It's not even _dancing,_ it's writhing and grinding like some vile _thing._

Ballet, on the other hand, is an art. You've chosen it as your future profession, and you worked your ass off to get into this school. Then you realized that Skaia Ballet Academy had been transformed into Skaia Dance School, for not only the artful, tasteful dance of ballet, but for hip-hop and new "alternative style" and contemporary dancers. You hate it, how you worked so hard only to be surrounded by thugs who just want to grind and bump. There are nightclubs for that.

You glance through the open door of the practice room, mostly to ask whoever it was to shut the door and turn their damn music down. The girl you see dancing is unfamiliar, and she doesn't look like she's practicing any particular steps. She's just _moving,_ eyes shut and black curls everywhere. She's barefoot, and her skin glows like cherrywood in the light that's reflecting off of the mirrors in the early morning sun from the windows. The music fades to a stop, and so does she, opening her eyes. You _aren't_ taken aback by how brilliantly green they are.

"Hi, can I help you?" She says, and you jump.

"Yes, you can, you can shut the door next time and _turn down_ that awful noise you call music!" You say sharply, turning and walking away. You glance back and the girl's green eyes are open in astonishment, and you smirk.

She should be shocked. You bet she's another one of Snowman's pet projects, scholarship students from lower class, amateur dance competitions. Not nearly worthy to be attending this school. It's pathetic, really, and you bet she doesn't even know the first thing about _real_ dance.

You arrive at your destination, another practice room, where Eridan is waiting for you. "You're late!" me says impatiently, and you smile viciously in return.

"I was held up by getting _another_ charity case to turn down their awful hip-hop music. You're welcome." You reply, walking into the room and dumping your bag on the floor. "Now, are you ready to dance?"

He starts up the music and stands next to you, and you start to work your dance, trying to recreate Mesentzeva and Zaklinky's iconic 1986 duet. It's hard, but your faith in your own skills is enough. You and Eridan have been drilling over and over again, you're determined to have it be _perfect._

When you both decide it's time to stop, your leotard is drenched in sweat and your hair is damp. You grab a towel and head back to your room, Beta Suite 123. You pass by the practice room 3 again. The music is still going, Nicki Minaj this time, and the same girl is dancing her heart out. The song ends and she stops, checking the clock.

_11:35_

She smiles and starts packing up, heading towards the door. You turn and start walking, but she catches up to you, panting.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to know where I can get a shower, would you? I'm new here, so..." she trails off, and you look up at her doubtfully.

"Try your room, idiot." You say, still walking briskly.

She smiles brightly. "Well, could you show me where that is? I'm in Beta Suite, room 123." She says, and you stop. _No._

The dirty, messy, _hip-hop_ dancer in front of you can't possibly be your new roommate. She quirks an eyebrow at you, and you blush and stammer a response.

"Of course, t-that's wear i'm heading, that's my _room_ ," you say, and the girl's smile gets even wider.

"Right, that's my room! I guess we're roomies now, heh. I'm Jade, what's your name?" She asks, and she doesn't seem to care that you insulted her music, that you insulted _her,_ she's just smiles and cheer. 

"Rose, Rose Lalonde." You reply, and you get the feeling that things are about to get a lot more interesting around here.


	3. Clothing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You go shopping. You proceed to realize that you hate shopping.

**J A D E**

Rose walks you to your shared room, and you grin a thanks at her before claiming the shower. You take a quick shower before grabbing one of the white towels and drying off. You put on your only other set of clothes, the jeans and t-shirt you wear when you're not dancing. They're ratty, and you feel kinda embarrassed next to Rose in her fancy clothing. You shake off the feeling and start to leave when Rose gets into the shower, making your way to the front of the school.  
On your way to the nearest mall to find clothes, you wonder about Rose. You wonder why she hates you so much, and why she was so rude without any reason. You wonder if she just hates everyone.

Your mind drifts to her pale, pale skin and blonde hair. You bet it would look nice out of her bun. She's a tiny girl, probably only 5'6". And her _eyes,_ violently violet and piercing. You feel like she just looks right through everyone, including yourself.

You're at the mall in no time at all, and you're floored by everything around you. The lady escorting you introduces herself as Porrim, head costume designer for your school. She's taller than you, which is surprising, (but considering how high her heels are, it's not _that_ hard to believe). The first half an hour of shopping, picking out clothes, and trying things on is fun.

From then on, it's agony. Porrim is _very_ enthusiastic, and you end up with a _lot_ of clothes. She helps you put them all away properly, and you do thank her profusely for the help.

The second she's gone, you collapse onto your bed. You do drag yourself out eventually to put new clothes on and walk to the dining hall. The dining house itself is crowded and loud, and when you've got your food you're at a loss on where to sit. You consider going to Rose, but she's surrounded by preppy kids who glare at you.

"Hey, new fish!" A girl yells, and you turn around to see a group of 5 sitting at a table. The girl who yelled looks Hawaiian, with long black hair and dark skin. A backwards baseball cap rests on her head, and a giant smile stretches across her face.

You point to yourself, quirking an eyebrow. She nods, gesturing towards her.

You walk over hesitantly, not trusting your feet. You manage to make it over without tripping, and then hesitate again at the edge of the table.

"C'mon, sit down!" The girl says, and you do. "Well, what's your name, newbie?" She asks, and you smile. 

"Jade Harley, at your service." You say, and the girl smiles brilliantly.

"Great! I'm Feferi Peixes," she says, pointing at herself. Her finger moves to point at the others, "That's John," an Asian boy with the bluest eyes you've ever seen, "and Dave," a skinny, pale boy with aviator glasses, "she's Nepeta," a latino girl with red hair and a blue cat hat, "and the shy one is Kanaya!" She finishes, her finger aimed at a black girl with short, spiky hair. All of them wave, and a chorus of hi's and hello's hit you.

Dave holds out his fist and you bump yours against it as he explains, "Fef thought you looked like one of us, with one of us being a urban, hip-hoppy, jack-of-all-trades dancer. Was she right?" You shrug and grin, and Dave nods.  
"You're purretty cute, Jade! I think you'll fit in with us, no problemo!" Nepeta says, bouncing in her seat. 

The six of you sit and chat, and you like all of them well enough. Feferi and Nepeta's combined excitement is a little overwhelming for an introvert like you, and Kanaya is... cold. Towards you, at least.

You wonder why. Every once in a while she shoots a cold glance your way. Maybe it's just her schtick, play the ice queen and people don't question you. Maybe you did something to her to offend her.

_oh my god what if you mugged her_

**R O S E  
**

You can't help glaring over at your roommate and her new-found friends. It's not helping that Eridan refuses to shut up about his ex. 

" _God,_ she's just all over the new girl! That two timin' bitch should have learned not to cheat on people after _last_ time, but no! She goes and gets  _two_ god-damned boyfriends and now she can't-" You slam your hand down on the table, the noise cutting him off.

"For fuck's sake, Eridan!" You say sharply, and he stares at you, blue eyes wide. "She left you for Sollux after you tried to _beat him up_ and now she's in a healthy, happy, polyamorus relationship and you're just jealous!"

You realize that the entire dining hall is staring at you, and you've unknowingly risen to your feet. You can see those green, green eyes blazing, focused on you, and you can feel your face getting hot.

You do what any respectable ballerina would do when faced with social awkwardness, public humiliation, and the potential loss of a dancing partner.

You sprint out of the room.

Jade finds you in your room, ironically bejeweled headphones blasting Mozart. Jade goes about her business getting ready for bed.

Then she throws her hairbrush, and it lands on your stomach.

"Can I _help_ you?" You hiss, your headphones falling around your neck.

Jade raises her hands defensively. "Yo, I said your name like, five times," she says, shrugging. "And I wanted to tell you what you did in the dining hall, sticking up for Feferi like that, was pretty cool of you."

"Well, I regret every word. I'm never going to find someone to dance with who's as good as Eridan, and now he's going to stop dancing with me because of it." You reply harshly, gritting your teeth.

It's like that kid's movie; don't let them in, don't let them see.

Jade stares at you. You put your headphones back over your ears and do your best not to cry.

You can barely hear Jade when she says goodnight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you can message me @ http://dw33by.tumblr.com/ if you have any questions!!


	4. Classes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conflict rises and falls.

**R O S E**  
  
Jade's in your partner dancing class. You're not even really sure if this class should be called partner dancing, as most of the actual dances that are preformed aren't really partner dances so much as duets.  
  
You and Eridan (Who quite arrogantly forgave you. At 6 AM. From outside your window.) show what you've been working on recently, earning applause. You're frustrated, because the dance that you've always loved doesn't feel right. You want to dance it and have everything feel good, despite the sweat and potential soreness from being en pointe. This dance is supposed to be everything to you, and you just can't get it to click.  
  
"John, Feferi, you're up!" Ms. Snowman calls, and the couple stands. Feferi goes to the front of the class and John plugs in his phone and starts the song. He dashes over to join Feferi, and they high-five before the dance.  
  
It's pretty fucking adorable.  
  
The performance they give is fun, energetic, and bouncy. Eridan is seething, and as "Happy" by C2C plays, the couple dances next to each other, grinning like idiots. They're both moving fast, and playfully, to the music.  
  
The urban, alternative dance is awful.  
  
You just can't stand it! It's so much wasted potential! They could be dancing to real music and instead they bounce around to no-talent Top 40 songs! It's absolutely absurd. You own sister even gave up ballet for urban dancing!  
  
She left you alone, gave up ballet, and called herself a boy. She went from Dawn to Dave, and you've been hurt and angry ever since.  
  
Dawn's sitting next to Jade. You hate how she gave up ballet, how she left to you to be dance partners with Eridan. She's your sister! Family is supposed to come first.  
  
She always used to tell you that you came first.  
  
You grit your teeth when Dawn and Jade stand, Dawn spewing some apology about Jade and how she's only had one lesson to learn his dance. You hope she sucks.  
  
Your sister's song, "Girl Gone Wild" by Madonna, starts playing.  
  
Your eyes are locked on Jade as the two start dancing, and you're almost disappointed to say that she's keeping up with Dawn, no problem.  
  
The pair only dance to the first verse, and at the end, Jade's eyes flash over to you, emerald meeting violet. She looks away and hugs Dawn, before the pair resume sitting. You're seething with rage, and Eridan is practically laughing when you storm out at the end of the class.  
  
You can't get her gaze out of your head.  
  
You must hate her. She's awful! She came in here and started living in your room and hanging out with your sister, listening to her awful music and dancing like a slut. You hate her, you hate her awful curly hair and her stupid buckteeth!  
  
She's horrible, like some wicked, evil, witch!

You're so busy cursing out Jade in your head with every elderitch spell you know to notice Eridan is leading you towards a different table than usual at dinner.  
  
 **J A D E**  
  
Dancing with Dave was exhilarating. It was a sorta new style of dance for you, but you figured it out easily enough. You kept up with Dave, but you were no where near as amazing as he was.  
  
Going to school is such an experience. You meet the rest of Feferi's friends, a gill- no, a girl named Aradia, who's a jazz dancer. Aradia is around 5'2" and curvy, with long, straight, blonde hair that stands out against her tanned skin. You also meet her dancing partner, Sollux. You find out that Sollux, John, and Feferi are all dating, and that Dave has a boyfriend named Karkat who goes to the neighboring public school. During the group practice after lunch, Aradia takes you through the steps to her dance for "E.T" by Katy Perry.  
  
She walks you through it while rambling all about how you're perfect for the role, because Sollux is great for jazz sure but this is different, and she needs someone to lift her and be able to carry her.  
  
You don't ask her about the twin scars on her wrists. 

At dinner, you sit with your new found friends, and you think about how normal it all seems. A few days ago you didn't know where your next meal was gonna come from, and now Dave's getting mashed potatoes in Aradia's hair and she's cursing him out like a soilder. It feels natural, right. It comes easily to you.

Then a pair of fists slam down on the end of the table and the chatter quiets down. All eyes are on your table, and the feeling of panic starts to well up in your throat.

People staring when you dance is different. When you dance, you're beautiful. Now, you don't know how to react to the sudden attention your table is getting.

The boy who had slammed his fists down is short, pale, and covered in freckles. His red hair has a streak of blonde in the front.

Sollux almost hisses when he sees him.

"Listen, Fef," he starts, and you see Rose standing a few meters back, face buried in her hands. "I know I fucked up a few times, but c'mon, you left being a ballerina and being popular to hang out with Dumb and Dumber," he gestures to John and Sollux, "a tranny freak and the crazy cat girl? Not to mention death freak and newbie here. You can do so much better-!" 

Feferi punches him square in the jaw, eyes blazing with pure fury. The panic in your throat rises, and your head is screaming at you to _get away get away get away dont get involved-_

"What the fuck, Fef?" The boy starts, and Feferi rises up to her full height.

"You listen to me, Eridan Ampora! You will _not_ win me back! I _love_ John and Sollux and you're a judgmental asshole who encouraged me _starving_ myself! You are the most disgusting-" Feferi stops short when Rose approaches her and puts her hand on her shoulder.

"Don't waste your breath, princess." She says, drawing her hand back and turning to Eridan. "As for you, you need to find yourself a new god-damned dance partner. I refuse to dance with someone as petty as you." 

She stalks away, head held high, and the panic starts to subside as people look away. Eridan slinks away, and the air at your table is tense.

Breathing gets easier.

Your friends are consoling Feferi, but you just sit there quietly, a hand resting on her shoulder.

You don't have a lot to say after the return of the panic you feel when attention is focused on or around you. It's draining, you can't breath, you can't move. The only time you can deal with it is when you dance. Because when you dance, you know you're good enough. You know you're graceful, and talented, and beautiful. 

You don't have that security when you're not dancing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> john and fef's dance : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_bX0T76X8U  
> dave + jade's (theirs is the first bit) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WigDdiK_Gg


	5. Duet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anger comes in many forms.

**J A D E**

You sit down on your bed and stare at Rose. She ignores you.

"Rose." You say, and her purple eyes are focused on you. "What the actual fuck is your god-damned issue?" You ask, and she sits up to stare at you.

"Excuse me?" She says, and you set your mouth in a hard line.

"Why the hell do you hate me? What did I ever do to you?" You ask, bringing yourself to standing. "I have never done _anything_ to you, yet you constantly give me dirty looks and insult me!" You yell, and then Rose is standing too.

Her eyes are blazing, violently violet. She looks absolutely furious, pale face stark against her flushed cheeks, hair falling out of her bun. "You, you waltz on in here, you start hanging out with my _sister,_ you start living in my room, you dance to that _god-awful_ music and you look like Ms. Snowman just picked you off of the streets!" She yells, and you see red.

You grab Rose by the front of her sweater and then you've pushed her against the wall, towering over her.

"You ignorant, pathetic little white girl. You know absolutely _nothing_ about me, understand? Yeah, she did take me off the streets, so what? She gave me a chance to _live,_ to do something great with my life, to not die a nameless, homeless, orphan." Your voice is deadly quiet, and you refuse to take your gaze away from Rose's. "I have been dancing in competitions for money since I was 10 years old. I've been winning since I was 12. I have been surviving off of those contests for _years,_ so don't you dare try and tell me my dancing is not on an equal level with yours. My dancing has kept me alive and fed. What has your dancing done for you?"

Rose is quivering, and you let go of her shirt.

"I don't know who your sister is, I don't care, If she's my friend then she's my friend and that's not going to change because you're a petty bitch." You say, sitting on your bed.

Neither of you say goodnight to the other.

**R O S E  
**

You don't sleep well. You toss and turn and you can't get those words out of your head, the words Jade had said, deadly and quiet.

_"My dancing has kept me alive and fed. What has your dancing done for you?"_

She had scared you last night. She went from angry and yelling to calm, deadly, and quiet and all it took was a few words. You can't get rid of the feeling that settled in the pit of your stomach when you woke up to see her bed empty and neatly made. It's _never_ neatly made.

You don't see her at breakfast either, but you see Dawn staring at you, aviator glasses concealing her eyes. Her brows are furrowed and she looks away when you look at her.

You want to cry.

It's a double period of Partner Dancing, and you're given the first hour to go to practice rooms and choreograph a dance. You wander off with Equius, a rather buff, sweaty ballet dancer. It's hard to focus.

Your dance sucks.

You don't see Jade or Dawn at the lunch period between the first half of Partner Dancing and the second half.

Lunch passes quickly. You ignore Eridan, you barely eat.

Jade and Dawn are the first to dance in the second half of the lesson.

"Hi! Some of you might not know me, but my name is Jade. Dave and I choreographed this dance to, well, disprove the idea that a few people have expressed about contemporary and hiphop dancers somehow being worth less or not as talented as classical dancers."

You hate how she says your sister's fake name.

You hate how when she dances, she's beautiful. The choreography is amazing, and you swear she goes _en pointe_ while she's barefoot. The two of them spin and twirl to the sound of violins, Dawn lifting and curling around Jade like she was born to.

When it's finished, the two of them stand next to each other and bow.

Jade flips her hair out of her face and Dawn puts her shades on.

"Also, anyone who still calls me by my old name and thinks I'm a chick: legally, it's Dave, and I'm a dude. Check yo self before you wreck yo self." Your sister says, and your heart breaks a little bit more.

But you can't bring yourself to have spiteful thoughts about their dance. It was beautiful, a clash of ballet and hip-hop, meeting somewhere in the middle.

You find yourself wondering if you could dance like that.

When you find yourself back in your dorm room that evening, and Jade is lying on her bed, your sister's headphones sitting on her ears. You think you can hear what seems to be the original version of the song she had danced to earlier. She notices you and takes off the headphones, green eyes staring at you.

"Dave doesn't hate you, y'know. He just wants you to accept him." Jade says, and you ignore her.

You don't want a brother. You want your sister back, you want your sister to stop dancing with girls, to stop dancing hip-hop, for things to go back to how they were. You want Jade to leave, to leave and take her piercing green eyes with her.

You want Dawn back, you want your mother and father to go back to living together, you want Eridan and Feferi to go back to being how they were, you don't want to see Feferi in her dance outfit and see the burn scar from where she burnt her tattoo, the other half of Eridan's heart, off her skin. You want Aradia to have not been suicidal. You want Kanaya to make you clothes again, you want John to go back to being just a pianist. You want them to come back, you miss them, but they gave up ballet, the thing you had all sworn to follow through with, to grow up together and be famous, to go to the same school.

You had gone to the same school, and then everything went wrong. Dawn became Dave, Feferi left Eridan, Aradia sunk into depression. Kanaya had stopped dancing. John changed everything, started dancing hip-hop, dragged Aradia into it.

She got better.

Kanaya started dancing again.

Dawn started smiling while she danced.

Sollux joined their clique. Feferi got back her chubby cheeks and curves.

They were happy.

You and Eridan spiralled into a depth of hatred. You missed your friends, they broke their promise. They left you. Dawn left you.

You cried yourself to sleep for a year. Then you built up your walls, your hatred of hip-hop and non-classical dance. It's what broke your friends away from you.

And when the word "selfish" crosses Jade's lips, you go back to being that child for a moment, a broken 14 year old who only wanted her sister back, who didn't understand.

Then you think back to Jade's lingering question, _"What has your_ _dancing done for you?"_ and you realize you have an answer. 

It ruined you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so!!! some things!!!  
> jade and dave's 'chandelier' dance is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9X2Ag4eeYc  
> but the music is this cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5gFYOayv9Q  
> best way to do this is to mute the video, start the music and then start the video. (EDIT: i just realized I put the wrong link for the music!! this is the updated version.) 
> 
> number two!!! my blog is http://dw33by.tumblr.com/  
> the tumblr tag for this fic is 'fic:-satin-and-stone'!  
> so to ask me stuff there's my blog, and if you have fanart (i would be so flattered omg) tag it and i'll see it!!!!
> 
> i love everyone who reads this btw. all of u. every single one.  
> (also feferi's burn mark from where her heart tattoo was is on her left hip. Eridan's heart is on his right shoulder, his is still there.) they stick-and-inked them when they were 13, Fef burned hers off when she was 15.


	6. Coffee Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls get macked on.  
> (or: Rose has some interesting thoughts.)

**J A D E**

You sit at a table in Starbucks and wait for Dave to show up. Feferi snuggles in between John and Sollux, and Aradia curls into your side for warmth. The weather is getting colder and colder, snow beginning to dust the city every night. The four of you sit in the crowded cafe and chat, and you can't help but notice the way Aradia's cheeks flush a dark red from the cold. She looks up at you and grins, blonde hair falling over her forehead.

You look up when you hear Dave's voice, and you spot him dragging a tall, muscular boy with dark skin and dark red curls. Kanaya and Nepeta are following behind them and Kanaya is shaking her head as they bicker, and you giggle.

Kanaya gets to the table first and sighs. "I am so, so sorry for what you are about to experience." She says, and you snort.  
"Thanks." You say. Kanaya has been slowly warming up to you, tentative, shy. She's been a lot more friendly since you and Dave did your dance to Chandelier, and you can only help but like the pretty raven-haired girl.

Dave drags over the tall boy and grins, face flushed from being outside. "This," he says, gesturing to the boy, "Is Karkat!"

Karkat grumbles and waves, and you smile brightly at him.

"Hiya, Karkat!!" You say, and the others follow in suite. The boyfriends sit, and the eight of you laugh over your hot-chocolates and coffees, chatting aimlessly. It's nice, to be able to afford expensive things like Starbucks on your school allowance. It's nice to be able to treat yourself nicely.

And you like Karkat. He acts grumpy, but Dave makes him laugh multiple times and he even gets Dave to take his shades off. You knew Dave's eyes were red, because he doesn't wear his shades when he dances, but they're amazing when you actually get to look at them.

You all end up going to a park, snowballs flying and laughter ringing out. You and John build a Ms. Snowman out of actual snow, until Aradia drags you off to sit down with her.

You sit with Aradia and talk about time travel, and you're in the middle of rambling about what you learned from the library about paradox space when she kisses you.

Your mind registers that she tastes like caramel hot chocolate, that her lips are stunningly warm compared to yours, and that you _really,_ really like kissing her.

You like kissing her so much that the two of you excuse yourselves and go back to school, and you stumble into your dorm room and shove a sock on the doorhandle.

Her hands travel along your body as you kiss, and she smells like cherries. Her fingers tug at the bottom of your shirt and her eyes sparkle, and you lean over and smack the stereo on, some Marina and the Diamonds song playing.

Kissing Aradia is intoxicating, and when the door opens, you don't even notice.  
  
 **R O S E  
**

You try to practice dancing with Vriska, a senior who does ballet. She's infuriating, but her dancing is beautiful, and you do your best to put up with her.  
You really aren't sure how she ended up kissing you. You do know that you bite her lip hard enough to draw blood, and she pulls back and you both pant and glare.

"Why the everloving fuck did you bite me, you bitch?" Vriska hisses, and she wipes the blood leaking from her lip onto her had. You can only taste and smell the metallic blood that leaked into your mouth. You feel sick.  
"Why the fuck did you kiss me?" You ask, and she laughs.

You frown when she answers your question. "Because, Miss Priss, that's what people usually want when they ask me to 'practice' with them." She envelopes the word practice with air quotes, and her blue-grey eyes flash. "Now I'll be leaving, if you don't mind."

You can't bring yourself to say anything. You end up just collecting your things and heading back to your room.

You're in such a daze that you don't even notice the sock on the door.  
You open it and chuck your bag on the bed, noting the music playing is one of Jade's CDs. 

You're about to tell her to turn it down when your realize that someone is on top of your roomate. You shriek and slap a hand over your eyes, and you hear two yelps. When you let yourself look again, a very flustered Aradia Megido and Jade Harley are looking back, Jade's glasses skewed and Aradia's hair a disaster.

"What the hell, you two? Why the fuck were you- in _my_ room, oh god- I didn't think you two were gay!" You stammer and splutter, and heat rises in your face.

"Well, I'm pansexual, so-" Aradia starts, but stops when you glare at her.

Jade frowns. "We put a sock on the door! Even I know that's universal for "don't come in" or at least a signal to knock! Also, it's _our_ room, and there's no rule against kissing people in the dorms!"

You're about to reply when Aradia pipes up again. "Well, I'm going to go so you two can talk things out." She kisses Jade on the cheek, winking. "Later, Harley~!"

Jade looks unabashedly at Aradia's ass when she walks out. You're fuming, staring at Jade.

"Look, you can't just-" You start, but Jade's very distractingly looking at your lips.

Distracting as in you're pissed she won't listen, of course.

"Why is there blood on your lips?" She asks, and you freeze. "Rose? What happened? Did someone hit you?" The amount of concern that wells up in her voice annoys you. She has no right to be worried about you!

"None of your business!" You snap, and she huffs.

"Well, then I guess who I kiss and where I kiss them is really none of your business!" She snaps back, and you groan.

She sticks her tounge out at you, and you stick yours out back.

You don't talk to her for the rest of the day, but when you fall asleep, you dream about her. She's kissing someone again, but instead of Aradia's long blonde hair it's yours, short hair falling out of the bun as she pulls the pins out, and your hands are tangled in her black mane, and her hands are touching your chest and it feels so _good,_ and-

And you wake up.

You look over at her sleeping form, and your mouth falls open.

 _"Oh._ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sometimes i have to re-read the whole fic so i dont fuck up with continuity  
> also just an fyi: jaderose is still endgame i just  
> jadeara is also a v important ship.
> 
> ALSO: rose has the hots for jaaade, rose has the hots for jaaade, lm a o


	7. Girlfriends and Holidays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jade has a girlfriend. Rose _isn't_ jealous. Christmas is just around the corner.

**J A D E**

Aradia casually calls you her girlfriend at lunch, much to Nepeta's excitement. You had turned bright red and almost panicked at the amount of attention focused on you, but Aradia's hand on the small of your back kept you steady. You float through your classes, dancing to soppy love songs, and Aradia kisses you on the cheek (and lips) as often as possible. Feferi teases you relentlessly, and you shoot insults and taunts back and forth throughout the day.

Rose is unusually quiet, not even taking chances to glare at you. It's worrying, frankly, to not have the blonde ballerina nagging at you whenever you see her. She doesn't even complain about your loud, off-key shower singing. 

She doesn't speak to you at all. Not even when you get paired up to practice waltzing with her, or when you greet her in the hallways. Her silence is unsettling, and you hadn't noticed how much of a role she played in your everyday life.

You're making out with Aradia on the couch in her dorm when the thought hits you. Is it possible that Rose Lalonde, ice-queen extraordinaire, is _jealous_ of your relationship with Aradia? You voice your thoughts to your girlfriend, who ends up laughing so hard that she cries. You smack her with a pillow, and she dries her eyes and snorts a few more times before responding.

"Sorry, sweetie, I'm pretty sure La-la-londe is straight as uncooked pasta." Aradia says, her blonde hair falling in her face. You brush it out of the way and wiggle your eyebrows.

"Maybe I'm so hot she got cooked!" You snigger, and Aradia bursts out laughing again. You join her this time, and you end up falling off the couch together. Aradia rolls you over so she's on top of you, and she leans down and kisses you.

The door opens, you hear a "Gross, get a room!" and you look up to see Feferi grinning at you.

"We've got one, it's just that you're in it." You retort, and the Hawaiian girl throws her scarf at you.

The Christmas holidays are approaching, and snow is becoming more and more common. You won't even realize some days, and you'll walk outside and come back with your curls dusted with it. You had been dreading Christmas, but you'd found out you've been invited to John's for the holiday, and Aradia's family, Feferi and her sister, Dave and his family (including Karkat and Dave's sort-of sister's boyfriend) and Kanaya and her mother are going to Washington for New Years. Nepeta is spending New Years with her sister and cousins in New York this year,

Now you're just upset about not being able to afford nice presents. You've already purchased everyone a few small things, but you feel awful that you can't get your friends anything better. Aradia has assured you it's fine, as has John. (You're still fretting.)

The start of Christmas break hits you like a sack of bricks, and soon enough you're on your first plane trip _ever._ Washington is freezing and beautiful, snow everywhere. John's dad is also lovely, insisting that you just call him "Dad" rather than Mr. Egbert.

Your mind says _dadbert,_ and John tells you that's what Dave calls him.

You get the feeling that this is going to be one amazing Christmas.

**R O S E**

Christmas is a tasteless holiday, in your opinion. So widely recognized and celebrated by people who aren't even christian, and people use it to block out other religion's holidays.

You also have to spend it with Dawn, Dirk, and your father. Dirk is your half-brother, and seeing him drives you crazy. He's a grease monkey, and he's constantly covered in sweat and grime.

You also have to spend it with Roxy, your half-sister, who (in your opinion) is a drunk who you haven't seen in three years. 

You're not fond of your family.

And to make matters worse, you can't get Jade out of your head, however hard you try to ignore her. Her bright eyes and dark curls float through your mind throughout the days. The fact that's she's got a girlfriend doesn't help, and you think you're going crazy.

You arrive at your Mother's house, a large estate in the middle of no-where, about an hour away from the nearest McDonalds. You're about to walk inside when Dawn stops you.

"Listen, Rose, I get that we haven't gotten along ever since I figured out I was trans-" you flinch "-but you're my twin, you're my Rosie, and it's killing me that you stopped loving me just because I'm a boy."

"It's because you said I would come first!" You say, and Dawn freezes. "You said that you and I would always be matching side-by-side no matter what, and you lied!" You're shouting now, and you don't care.

"Rose, I-"

You cut your twin off and keep ranting. "Why did you have to change everything!? Now you don't do ballet and you hang out with new people and you hate me! You hate me, Dawn! You hate me just like all your friends, and Eridan, and everyone!! I don't deserve this!" Tears are streaking down your face and you realize that you may have just snapped.

"My name is Dave, and I have _never_ hated you, Rosie." You fall to your knees, and look up at your twin. "I don't think I could bring myself to hate you, Rosie. You're my sister and just because I'm your brother now doesn't mean I don't love you, we still match, we will always match, I love you so much Rosie-"

You wrap your arms around your twin and the two of you sob on each other.

"I'm sorry Dave, I love you, I don't want to fight with you like this, I love you, I love you," You sob onto Dave's shoulder, and his arms tighten around you.

"I love you too, Rosie." He whispers, and you hold your brother close.

Christmas is weird that year, with you and Dave carefully re-building your relationship. Roxy is surprisingly sober, and her boyfriend of two years, Jake, joins your family for Christmas. Jake reminds you almost painfully of Jade, with his green eyes and dark hair and general sunny attitude. Dirk makes an effort to be nice and not covered in dirt and mess all of the time, and for the first time in years, you feel like you have a real family again.

Jake proposes to Roxy after dinner, with a pink sapphire surrounded by emeralds. The ring must have cost him a fortune, but the look on his face when Roxy pounces on him saying yes makes you feel like he knows it's worth it.

Dave tells you about Karkat, and you do your best to call him Dave and refer to him as a boy. It's hard, but seeing your twin wince when you mess up is painful enough to try harder. You have a lot to make up to Dave's friends after years of calling him Dawn out of malice, and generally being awful. You're hesitant to try, but you don't want to hurt Dave anymore.

It makes you realize how lonely you've been, and how worthless giving everyone up for such stupid reasons was.

You want to take back what being stupid and bigoted took from you.

And _nothing_ is going to stop you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally rose  
> wow there hasnt been any dancing in a while. whoops
> 
> but yes!! arajade!!! and dave n rose being nice to each other!!! and roxy/jake however minor it is!!!!!
> 
> a christmas/new years chapter is next!!!!!!!
> 
> you can hit me up at http://dw33by.tumblr.com/


	8. Resolutions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New Years in Washington. (Some alt. POV's)

**J O H N**

You watch as your cousin, Jane, drags Jade into her room so they can "get ready" for the New Year's party tonight. You're pretty sure Jane just wants to play dress up with Jade, but, well, it's not your problem!! You glance down as your phone buzzes, and you smile when you see it's Dave. 

_Dave: so uh rose and i are_ _all good i think_  
Dave: kinda whack after all this time but  
Dave: yeah. happy new years  
Dave: see you in a few hours egbutt  


Your grin stretches across your face. Nothing could ruin this day, not even the insane amount of baked goods your father is currently preparing. 

Aradia and Feferi arrive together with their families. It's Aradia's mother and sister, and Feferi's sister. You greet them warmly, and Feferi kisses you firmly and Aradia laughs and teases. You pass the message that Jade has been kidnapped for the sake of fashion by your cousin.

Aradia laughs. 

By the time Jane is finished with Jade, everyone is there. You've just taken the Strider-Lalonde's coats when Jade appears at the top of the stairs.

She's dressed in a blue dress that poofs out around her legs, her long black hair shining in the glow of the Christmas lights. Under the dress there is a long sleeved black shirt, and a blue choker wrapped around her neck. Her dark skin sparkled with some sort of shimmery powder. 

Your jaw dropped.

Aradia gasped, and Jade slowly descended the stairs slowly. You looked around and saw that Rose also looked starstruck.

Aradia kissed Jade and everyone clapped, with Dave cat-calling. Jade flipped him off.

You had the feeling this was gonna be one hell of a New Year's.

**D A V E**

When Jade appears at the top of the stairs, even you and Karkat are stunned. You went to look at Rose, and saw that her jaw was almost on the ground. Your sister looked pretty beautiful herself, in a purple and black dress.

But then you remembered what Jade must have looked like when she and Rose first met, straight off the streets. Now, she looks like a million bucks. No wonder your sister is star stuck.

You spend most of the night with Karkat, chatting and eating and generally messing around.

At around 11, Jade and John gather you all up and drag you up to the roof.

You, Rose, Karkat, Feferi, Sollux, Aradia, and Kanaya allow yourselves to be dragged out through John's bedroom window, and sit on roof.  You snuggle into Karkat's side, and you watch as Aradia tucks herself into Jade's side. Sollux and John wrap themselves around Feferi, and you smile.

You even see Kanaya tentatively place her hand on Rose's.

You all chat and laugh and share, and you even see Rose and Jade smile at each other. Friends.

You're happy that they're all friends.

**J A D E**

When the clock hits midnight, Aradia kisses you. It's sweet, and you kiss back, hands on her waist tentatively. It's shyer than any of your other kisses. Different. 

Later on, she asks you to go on a walk with her. 

The two of you stop and sit on the Egbert's porch, and then she starts talking. In all honesty, what comes next isn't that surprising.

"We should probably break up." She says quietly.

"Mmm," you respond, staring at the sky.

"Chill?" She asks, and you burst out laughing.

She laughs with you, and the two of you keep laughing until you're almost in tears.

"This," you say, "is the best break up _ever._ " Aradia laughs and agrees. "Can I ask why though?" 

Aradia tilts her head to the side.

"It's because, well. I keep looking to relationships to "fix" me, and I've realized, with you, that maybe I'm not broken." She says, and you smile.

You pull her into a hug.

The sky shimmers above you, clear and bright. You can see the stars above you, and you remember all the nights you slept on benches or in doorways. The sky never seemed this beautiful back then.

But now, with a friend leaning against you, warm and strong, you feel happy.

You don't ever want this moment to end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter kind of sucks. sorry! !! ! ! :(


	9. The Complications of a Courtship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How to ask someone out; chapter 1. "What not to do."

**J A D E**

You've been back at school for around a week. Your practice exams are coming up, and you are  _super duper hella nervous._   You know that you're good, but you're mostly worried about the fact that there's a _semi-formal_ school _dance_ next week. You've never been to a school dance, let alone anything that's _semi-formal._ You barely even know what that means. Aradia's stuck little colored bands around your fingers to help you remember, but somehow you've managed to forget what _every single band_ stood for.

You do know that you need a date.

You also know that you have _no fucking idea_ how to ask a girl out.

Sollux is platonically taking Aradia, because according to the school board have more than one date is "immoral". Feferi swore and flipped off the kid who had made fun of John for being upset, and you swear Sollux almost punched him. Dave is taking Karkat, and Nepeta is going with a ballerina kid named Equius. You think another ballerina named Vriska is going with Kanaya, so that leaves you dateless.

On the other hand, you are thankfully not worrying about practice exams. There is a group dance, a solo dance, and a partner dance. Your partner is Dave for the partner dance, and the two of you are planning on doing something similar to your chandelier dance. You both want to incorporate more things based off of waltzing, classical partner dancing. The group dancers are being announced soon, and you have something that's _hopefully_ really good for your solo dance.

"Hey, Jade!" you jump around a foot in the air as Nepeta grabs your shoulders, and she giggles. "Do you have a date yet?" she asks, bubbly as ever. You shake your head and sigh, and she pats your head.

"Aww, you'll be fine!" Aradia says, and you jump again.

"Jesus, you two! How the hell do you even do that?" You say, running a hand through your hair. It's a curly, kinky mess, just how you like it. Kanaya has been rushing around making dresses for people, and you've spent at least two hours total standing still while she pins and stiches and adjusts. You wonder how she does it.

"How do you do what?" John asks, interrupting your thoughts and you fall off of your chair.

"What the hell!" you screech, and everyone laughs at you. You continue to violently curse the three of them, while they laugh.

A few hours later you and all your friends end up crammed into John and Dave's dorm, with people throwing suggestions for your dates. There's a knock on the door and you all fall quiet, and Rose pokes her head in. The silence drags out for a few minutes before Nepeta pipes up.

"Hey, Rose, you have a date for the dance yet?" She asks, and Rose blushes and shakes her head no, stepping into the room.

She plops herself down on Dave's bed next to Kanaya, looking at the ground. "Eridan asked, but..." she trails off.

"But, he's a douchewaffle." Feferi finishes. Rose nods.

Nepeta looks at you. Everyone follows in suit. Then their heads turn to Rose. Then back to you.

Dave throws a sock at you. You scowl at him.

You weigh your options. Asking Rose could end disastrously, and you have no idea how she'd feel about it. You could always go alone (and suffer teasing from your peers.) Taking Rose would also draw attention to you, and you're already sweating from just your friends staring at you. But she's also very pretty.

"Rosedoyouwannagotothedancewithme?" You splutter out one (hopefully) incomprehensible sentence. Dave grins.

You mentally curse every single one of your friends to every version of hell you've ever heard of. You think Dave would probably just embarrass Satan into giving over his title as the king of hell, though.

 _dick,_ you think.

"What?" Rose asks, blushing. Her violet eyes are locked onto your green, and you can feel your face getting hot. _abort mission abort mission abort mission!! dumbass!!_ Your subconscious is screaming at you, but you shake your head and square your shoulders. 

"I, uh, asked if you wanted to. Um. Go to the dance. With me." You say, looking away. "As friends." You add, and your subconscious murmurs _chicken._ You internally tell your subconscious to shut the hell up.

It's not like you like her or anything.

**R O S E**

You stare across the room at Jade, face flushed. She tacked on a "as friends" to the end of her sentance, but still. The slightly euphoric sensation of floating is encompassing you, and you feel like your mouth is full of cotton. All eyes are on you, and you stammer and blush for a moment before composing yourself.

"I would love to, Jade." You say, and Jade grins.

"Rad."

And that's that. Conversation returns to normal, and you simply chat and laugh until you all get told to go to your own dorms.

You and Jade walk side by side, comfortable silence hovering between you. You glance over at her, watching the way her curls bounce and sway with the way she walks. The halls are cold, and you shudder.

Jade stops and glances down. "You cold?" She asks, and you shake your head.

You shiver again.

Jade snorts, taking off her hoodie. "Liar, liar, pants on fire." She says, tossing the hoodie at you. Her shoulders are dotted with freckles and scars, and you can practically see the years of dancing that went into the definition in her arms. "Then again, if your pants were on fire, you'd probably be a lot warmer." She giggles, and you can't help but to laugh. 

"Thanks, Jade." You manage, shoving the hoodie over your head. You keep walking, and you notice that the hoodie smells like pumpkins and sweat. Like _Jade,_ you realize.

When you arrive back at your room, You attempt to hand over the hoodie, but she shakes her head.

"Keep it for now. G'night, Rose." She says, smiling.

"Goodnight, Jade." You reply, blushing. "I'll see you in the morning."

You curse yourself for acting like a lovestruck schoolgirl.

 _But that's what you are, Rose._ Your subconscious reminds you.

You tell your subconscious to shut up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "it's not like i like her or anything" LAUGHS MANIACALLY  
> hahah shit gets real next chapter, a school dance, oohhhh  
> new URL!!! http://skullkidofficial.tumblr.com
> 
> any questions can go there!! the tag is "fic: satin and stone"


	10. Shut up and Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Romance is in the air. (Probably.)

**R O S E**

It's the night of the dance, and you're _nervous._ You're dressed in shades of orange with blue mock-ballet shoes, and tiny sun-like earrings hanging from your ears. A blue headband keeps your hair pulled away from your face, but the rest of it hangs down, brushing your shoulders. You're biting your lip, and you know it's silly that Kanaya dragged Jade off to get ready somewhere else because you're just going as friends but you really wanna see Jade.

A sharp knock at the door makes you spin around, eyes wide. You check your hair in the mirror one last time, noting that your blue lipstick (you decided to stray from your usual black tonight) and soft gold eyeshadow are still good.

You take a deep breath and open the door.

Jade's standing there, looking nervous, and you're floored.

Her dark curls are pinned up in a sort-of updo, with a black headband holding parts of it up. Lots of strands of ringlets are falling out, but it works well. Her dark skin looks like the night sky, with a pattern silvery, shimmery swirls painted across her shoulders. Her dress is black with green trim, falling effortlessly around her. It shimmers with what look like stars.

She looks otherworldy.

You realize that your jaw is dropped and you quickly shut your mouth. "You look fantastic!" You say, and Jade's face flushes.

"Wow. Uh, thank you! You look. Well." Jade fumbles around her words and her face grows even brighter. "You look kind of indescribable?"

You feel your face grow hot, and you smile sheepishly.

"Thank you, Jade." You say, offering your arm. She takes it, and smiles down at you.

"Shall we, good lady?" She says, putting on a silly (but surprisingly accurate) british accent.

You giggle, looking up at her. "Of course!"

The two of you walk towards the grand hall (Jade still can't believe that your school has a grand hall) and towards the lights and music. The entire hall is lit up in shades of gold, and Jade shimmers under the lights, staring up at the decorations.

In a word, she's beautiful. Stunning, gorgeous, breathtaking, _impossibly beautiful._ You are stunned that the ratty girl you met months ago, dancing alone, is the same girl standing underneath these lights tonight. 

You join your friends at a table and sit and chat, until a bouncy song that Jade seems to recognize comes on.

"Someone dance with me! Rose, dance with me!" She says, pulling you to your feet. You stammer out a few feeble excuses while she drags you out onto the dance floor.

"Jade I don't know how to dance to songs like this-!" You say, and Jade shakes her head.

"I can't hear you!" She laughs, pulling you close and grasping your hands. "Come on, just let loose, Rose!"

So you do. You let loose and you jump around and sloppily sing along to some song you don't really know. Jade's smiling widely and bouncing up and down and she looks so happy.

That's when someone catches your upper arm.

**J A D E**

One minute, you and Rose are jumping around and you are sort of starting to want to kiss her, and suddenly she's been yanked into the crowd. 

"Jade!" She calls, and you reach for her as she's swallowed into the crowd.

"Rose!" You call, trying to fight your way through the crowd after her. You're strong, sure, but the writhing mass of teenage bodies around you are stronger. You push and shove and eventually you break the edge of the crowd, gasping. You look around, seeing a door slam shut, and you're sprinting. Your dress tangles around your leg and you almost go sprawling into the ground, but you catch yourself. 

Your subconcious is screaming at you to _find rose find rose find rose_ and the sudden darkness of the hallway leaves you blinking, eyes adjusting slowly. You hear noises from down the hall and you continue cautiously, hand on the wall, all urgency leaving you for caution. Your grandpa taught you to be cautious, always, and you remember his words. Your hands clench into fists as you round the corner, and you stop still at the sight before you. 

Eridan Ampora's hand cracks across Rose's face, the slap echoing through the halls. Rose, one wrist pinned to the wall, trying to push Eridan away. Your blood pounding in your ears as you see red.

" _TAKE YOUR GODDAMN HANDS OFF OF HER, AMPORA!"_ You say, stomping forwards and grabbing the front of his shirt. You lift him so his toes barely brush the ground, and you can barely head yourself over the pounding in your head. He grasps at your hands, and your teeth grind together. The world is still around you, only you and him, your breathing heavy and harsh.   
"If you _ever,"_ you say, staring Eridan in the eye, " _ever_ even _think_ about hitting Rose again, I  _will end you._ _"_

"Jade Harley, put him down this instant!" A voice rings out, and you drop Eridan. Rose stands with her hands on her hips, eyes narrowed. Her dress is ripped at the hem and her cheek is red, and her eyes are so _violent,_ purple is almost glowing against her skin. "I do _not_ need you to threaten him on my behalf, Jade. Thank you _very_ much for helping me but this is _completely_ ridiculous and you need to stop acting so- so- so _fucking_ juvenile!" She says, her hands gesturing towards you. "I thought you were better than this, Jade. I thought you were better than _him."_ She glares at Eridan, crumpled on the floor, and she turns and stomps off.

 _nice fucking job idiot_ Your subconscious says, and you internally flip your subconscious off.

As you trudge back to your room, you note that Rose isn't there, and she doesn't come back. You doubt you've ever fucked up this bad before.

And by god, you regret it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aight note time  
> jade's hair is here: http://marcnutt-moved.tumblr.com/post/115071832581  
> and!! skullkidofficial.tumblr.com is my blog, u can ask things there if u want!!!!!! hell yes!!!
> 
> also: lol eridan got his ass whooped


	11. Duet (Round Two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jade and Dave are back in business.

**J A D E**

Rose has been ignoring you for at least a month, and you're worried. You would be more actively worried if you didn't have exams coming up, because those exams determine if your scholarship gets extended. You need that scholarship. That scholarship is the only thing keeping you with everyone you love, with everything you have. You lose it, and you get sent to child services. You can't afford to lose what you have now, because what you have now is a family, which you haven't had until now.

You will not give that up without a fight.

So you and your group for the group exam practice like crazy. You, Feferi, Nepeta, John, and Dave decided on "BO$$" by Fifth Harmony for your dance, despite minor protests from John. You spend at least an hour a day working with them, and then at least another hour and a half with just Dave, working on your duet. It's set to "Set Fire to The Rain", and you decided together that you should focus on contemporary, because that's what the two of you do best.

You and Dave spend so much time practicing that Feferi enlists John and Sollux to physically pick you up and carry you to your room, despite numerous protests from both you and Dave. Kanaya threatens to sit on you when you say you're going to spend lunch practicing, glaring at you. You stay. (Kanaya looks like the type of girl who could cut you in half with a chainsaw and then casually apply lipstick afterwards. You don't want to mess with her.)

And on the big day, you and your group get ready together, in black pants and different colored shirts. Lime-green for you, red for Dave, sky blue for John, olive for Nepeta, and fuchsia for Feferi. You've got around a minute worth of dancing prepared, which is the requirement for the group dance. Short and sweet.

When you're standing on stage, looking out at the hall, empty apart from a few examiners and a video camera, you grin.

Your subconscious grins. You're gonna knock 'em dead.

The music starts.

You lose yourself in the music, grinning the whole time. Confidence and adrenaline buzzes between the five of you, pumping through your veins to the beat. You drop into a split at your favorite part of the dance, the whole routine fun and bouncy.

Before you know it, it's over. You all pile off stage, stopping first to bow. You're breathless. All of you are, clinging to each other and laughing, coming down from your adrenaline high.

"Fuck what they might say, we were flawless," Feferi breathes, and you nod your head in agreement. You're all covered in sweat, and utterly beautiful. You feel invincible, standing among your friends, laughter caught in your chest and a grin on your face.

That night, you celebrate at dinner. You laugh and imitate Dave's fabulous booty shaking, your whole friend group being loud and rambunctious. When you're done celebrating, Kanaya walks you back towards your room, the two of you laughing and chatting.

"Hey, Jade?" She asks shyly, and you quirk an eyebrow at the girl. "Remember when you first got here?"

You laugh. "Yea, I was scared out of my mind. Walking into lunch that first day I could hardly breath- I honestly thought Fef was gonna bully me at first," you say, sighing with nostalgia. "Why?"

"Well, uh-" she pauses, biting her lip. "I'm sorry. I was sort of a bitch to you then, and it was just- I was scared of you." She explains, and you stop in the middle of the hallway, staring at her. "I've never been good with people, and I thought my friends were gonna like you more, I guess," she mumbles.

You burst out laughing. Kanaya looks offended, and you grin and wheeze and rest your hand on her shoulder. 

"Kanaya, dude, I was scared that I had mugged you." The other girl's eyes get wide. 

"Jade, have you mugged someone before!?" She asks, and it just sets you off laughing again. By the time the two of you actually make it back to your dorm you're laughing and leaning heavily on each other.

"Gnight, 'Naya," you mumble, hugging her.

Kanaya sighs and hugs you back. "Goodnight, Jade."

Right before you fall asleep, you  catch Rose's eye. She quickly looks away, but that same violent violet catches you off-guard. Her gaze still leaves you feeling like she can see right through you, just like the first time you met the blonde.

"Sleep tight, Rosie," you mumble.

You fall asleep before she replies.

**R O S E**

The duet exams are open for anyone to watch, as are the solo exams, as long as the dancers have given their consent. Dave invites you along to his and Jade's and you agree after he whines at you to "get over this petty dumb thing". After Jade’s whisper of a good night last night, you’re tempted to just forgive the girl. 

Your subconscious agrees, but you tell your brother to go fuck herself. Once you realize your slip with pronouns, you splutter and apologize. He laughs at you and tells you that now, you have to come.

So you do. You turn up outside the auditorium and you recognize a few faces among the crowd that’s gathered to watch your brother and Jade dance together. The duet and solo dance have around a week in between them, unlike the group and duet. 

When you see Dave and Jade take their positions on stage, a wave of emotions hit you. You’ve been avoiding Jade (and therefore, everyone Jade hangs out with) because of what happened at the dance. It wasn’t even really her fault, but your pride was wounded. You didn’t need someone to take care of you or to threaten someone for you. You’re fully capable of defending yourself. 

But with Eridan, you froze up, and any thoughts of self-defence came up blank in your head. You shudder to think what might have happened if Jade hadn’t cut in. 

_and you want to kiss her stop ignoring the pretty girl, dumbass!!!_ Your subconscious tells you. 

You think, that just maybe, your subconscious is right. 

The music starts, and all the chatter around you silences. The lights dim, a single spotlight focusing on the pair. Music starts, and you recognize “Set Fire to the Rain” as Jade and Dave start to move.

It’s an incredible display of trust, synchronization, and strength. Dave and Jade both move so in time with the music and each other, it almost looks… intimate. The tenderness of the lifts and the absolute trust and duality of the pair is so intense, it almost feels like you shouldn’t be watching. 

It’s so different from the hip-hop you see them both usually do, the raw emotion this dance displays. It’s elegant. It’s everything you love, in a type of dance you hated. 

When they finish, the whole room erupts into applause. The two climb to their feet and bow, and Jade’s eyes meet yours for a brief second, and they look positively electric. 

Later that evening, you sit with your friends, and when Jade and Dave come down to sit with you, you smile and hug her. 

“Friends?” She asks, and you stick your tongue out at her.

“You know it, dork,” you respond. 

Things are normal again. You wouldn’t have considered this normal two months ago, you realize. Two months ago you would have been glaring at them with Eridan and silently judging.   


And you think, that just maybe, you like this sort of normal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> group dance is here!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INNaDZCM6gc (jade is the one who is in the middle at the start)  
> jade's half of this chapter is over 700 words- around 200 more than usual. dang.  
> dave and jade's dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDE40v2QWiw
> 
> only one more chapter + an epilogue after this, holy wow.
> 
> also im super sorry i take forever 2 update a lot of sad/bad things were happening


	12. Finale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summer Vacation begins, and promises are made.

**J A D E**

Your eyes flutter open on the last day of the school year, and a wide, lazy grin stretches across your face. Your bags are almost packed, your clothes for the day laid out next to Rose's on the ground. On your side, a pair on long black skinny jeans and a short-sleeved blue t-shirt, and Rose's black skirt and purple tank top sits next to it. Socks and shoes are laid out by the outfits, and stretched out in bed is Rose, lazily yawning.

You stare at her and she opens her eyes and stares right back, violet eyes meeting green in the early morning sun.

"Hey, you", you say, and Rose giggles. You roll out of bed and stretch, before gathering your clothes and heading into the bathroom to shower.

It's been a month since your finals, and things are perfect. You have a giant (if unrequited) crush on your roommate, who is speaking to you again, your friend group has been pretty drama-free since finals, your scholarship got extended to cover next year, and things are _great._ You've also been invited to spend the summer with one of your closest friends and his sister, who just so happens to be the roommate you have a crush on, who is currently still in bed next door.

Did you mention that things are great?

You finish in the shower and let Rose take her turn, packing up the rest of your clothes and toiletries into your bag. You make your bed with the school issued sheets and put your personal ones into your bag and then sit on the ground, waiting for Rose to get dressed. Dave shows up just as Rose walks out of the bathroom, toiletries and pajamas in hand. She hurriedly packs it all away and the two of you lug your bags out of the dorms, out into the beautiful New York sunlight.

It's a little bittersweet, to think of the first time you saw this building- you were a homeless street rat who stole and danced just to keep herself alive, with sunken cheeks and eyes and covered in filth and mess. You danced to survive back then- and in a way, you still do. You dance to stop yourself from going back to that now, you dance to keep your friends, but you also dance because you love it. The weight that dragged you down is still on your shoulders- your past will never leave you, but now you have friends who help you hold up that weight, and with the world not crushing your shoulders, you feel like your feet don't even touch the ground.

"Hey, Jade, get your head out of the clouds- Rox and Jake are here!" Dave says, hefting his bag up and dashing towards the dark green SUV that belongs to Roxy's boyfriend. The three of you cram your things in the backseat and give out goodbye hugs and promises to see each other during the summer, and a few cheerful threats from Aradia and Nepeta concerning what will happen if you _don't_ hang out.

You see Eridan approach Rose slowly, quiet talking ensuing. Rose puts her hand on his shoulder and then pulls back, sticking out her hand with a grin. Eridan shakes it, and they walk in opposite directions- Eridan walks to a boy you used to see on street corners, smoking and chatting up anything that moved. Rose jogs back to you and Dave, squeezing into the backseat of the SUV and starting out on the long drive to Rainbow Falls, New York.

The first half of the trip is filled with off-key singing and Dave playing his remixes through his phone. Rose somehow manages to fall asleep on your shoulder, and even when she's drooling on your sleeve and your arm is dead you just don't have the heart to wake her. She does wake up when Roxy puts on songs from musicals- nobody could sleep through you and Dave's rendition of "For Good" from Wicked, and you roll down the windows and all yell along to "Big Fun" from the Heathers musical. You think you scare some of the local wildlife.

When you finally arrive at the Lalonde residence, you're floored. It's huge, with a waterfall crashing into a deep pool. It's literally the nicest place you can remember being, and that includes your school. The woods around it are thick and dark, and they look perfect for exploring. Rose and Dave's mother steps outside and smiles widely, opening her arms for a hug. Dave and Rose automatically comply, and when Ms. Lalonde releases the twins from her grip, she turns to you and _beams._  
  
"You must be _Jade!_ Oh, my Davey never stopped talking about you during Christmas, and even Rosie seemed rather taken with you, how lovely it is to meet you!" She all but gushes, and both twins groan and turn scarlet when Ms. Lalonde scoops you up into a hug, lifting you so your feet barely touch the ground. It's actually kind of impressive, considering she can't be more than 5'6" and you've grown to be 6'2".

You laugh. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Ms. Lalonde!" you say, and she puts you down and smiles kindly at you.

"The pleasure is all mine, Jade," she turns around to face her kids. "And you can call me Rey."

**R O S E**  
  
The first night of your summer vacation is like a dream come true. Roxy and Jake make quesadillas for dinner, and you put on loud music and your mom offers Jade a glass of wine, much to her confusion.

"Uhm- no? Thank you?" Jade says, looking at you. Her face is contorted in a way that can only mean "help me". You snicker and wave your mom's offer away, and Jake accepts it instead.

Jake and Jade get along like old friends, laughing and joking around together, and she accepts his offer to teach her how to shoot with _far_ too much enthusiasm. He shares stories of his adventures and what it's like to work with big cats at the New York City Zoo. Jade tells you that she's never been to the zoo, and you promise to take her during the summer.

The sky grows dark and a few flickering fireflies come out, and Jade and Dave chase them around like little kids. You end up sitting on the porch with Jade even after everyone goes to bed, staring at the stars. Jade's head is in your lap, her mountain of wild hair falling over your legs and back onto the porch. You absentmindedly tangle your fingers through her hair and she Jade sighs contently. She looks up at you, a lazy grin on her face.

"Hey, Rose?" She asks, sitting up. Jade looks out at the forest that surrounds your house, the fireflies flickering around her.  
  
You put your hand on her shoulder. "What's up, Jade?" You ask, concern laced in your voice. She takes a deep breath, and your concern is growing.

Then she turns around and asks you if you're gay. It's silent, only the sounds of nocturnal critters in the forest around you, and you and Jade just stare at each other. Then you start laughing, bending over and grasping at your stomach.

"Oh fuck, I'm sorry Rose! That was probably really insensitive-" Jade stammers and apologizes, and it just makes you laugh harder and harder. "Why are you laughing?" Jade asks helplessly, and you manage to calm yourself down to giggling so you can answer her.

"I don't even know! I have no idea, that's why this is so goddamn funny!" You say, falling back into laughter. Jade slowly starts to laugh with you, and the both of you end up in tears. 

After what seems like hours, the two of you finally calm down, and end up both sitting on your bed. You're brushing your hair as Jade fiddles with her green pajama pants, looking at your bedspread. You realize you never answered her question and you don't know if you want to- things are good as they are, and you don't want to ruin that. You look at the curves of Jade's body, still just too thin to be comfortable, and the way her hair spirals around her face in a magnificent curly waterfall. You stare at her until her eyes meet yours- electric green and soft, pale violet meeting.

She leans forwards and kisses you. It's not how she kissed Aradia when they were together, no- this is gentle, afraid, unsure. You kiss back, and the slight pressure you apply breaks a damn that held you both back, and the flooding emotions from the two of you crash and mix into one simple kiss. Jade pulls back and gasps, raising her hand to rest on her lip.

"Wow," she breathes, starry eyed. You imagine that you look around the same; breathless and pink-cheeked, eyes wide and pupils dilated.

"Yeah," you agree, leaning forwards to touch your forehead to hers. "Wow." 

That night, you fall asleep together, your head resting on her chest and her arms wrapped loosely around your waist. You don't know where this is going- you don't know if the two of you will ever talk about that kiss or decide where your relationship should go. And that should bother you, it really should- but somehow, you really don't seem to mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am so unbelievably sorry that this took so long ahhhh,,, so much has been happening for me! but i pulled through for you guys <3   
> i really hope you enjoy this chapter and the epilogue, its really been a wild ride.
> 
> http://skullkidofficial.tumblr.com/ 


	13. Epilogue: En Pointe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a few years, and a lot has changed.

**J A D E**

_"Mesdames et Messieurs, il est un honneur de vous présenter_ Rose Lalonde _, en pointe sur un piano!"_ The man standing on stage bows and walks smartly offstage, and the entire theater is thrumming with excitement. This is the first performance of _En Pointe_ in a country other than America, and the world is going crazy over Rose's show.

Any whispers that had remained in the crowd die immediately as the haunting music box melody begins to play. Rose, barefoot and dressed only in a simple black leotard, walks towards the lone piano on the stage- there's a pair of pointe shoes resting on top of it. Rose brings herself to sit on top of the grand piano's closed lid, and lifts the shoes, light reflecting off of the razor-sharp knives attached to them. Her hair is down, you note, unusual for a ballerina. She puts the pointe shoes on, wrapping the ribbons around and around and around, and then she pulls herself up using a rope that hangs over the piano. The sharp noise of blade and wood meeting makes John wince in his seat next to you, and he fiddles with his cuff-links as Feferi squeezes his hand. 

Once she's _en point,_ she begins to dance- the music has stopped, the only noise in the theater from the ballerina herself. Her shoes mark the black piano and more than once she yells out, on the verge of falling, but she holds herself steady. Rose pouts her emotions out into her dance, and that's what you love about this show- no two performances of _En Pointe_ have ever gone the same way. When the curtains close she's still _en pointe,_ and she's barely still, but you know that two assistants are rushing to her side the moment the curtain is down.

She gets a standing ovation, and you barely remember a show where she hasn't- Rose Lalonde is the star of the dance world, and she deserves it more than anyone.

You attend the after party, of course- you wait inside with your friends, all considered exclusive V.I.Ps, chatting and drinking champagne. When Rose finally makes her way over to you, you hug her tightly and even lift her off her feet for a few moments, making sure you're gentle in putting her down. "You were wonderful, Rose!" You say, and she leans up and kisses you on the lips. 

"That will not be the only performance I put on tonight, my dear," your girlfriend says, drifting off to greet her family with a grin on her face. Your own face flushes at her words, and you take a long drink of champagne.

The evening drones on and on, and you dance with Dave and Jake and John, but never with Rose. It's understandable, her show kills her feet- on the plane back to New York you'll probably offer to rub them for her. Rose's feet are a disaster- she's a skilled enough dancer that she doesn't break bones (anymore) but the bruising on her feet makes it so she can't ever wear heels, not that you mind.

Rose draws the attention to her as she walks on to the slight stage that is set up at one end of the ballroom, and a hush falls over the room. You're luckily quite close, so you can grin at her and she can see you. She starts out with the usual speech- thank yous and dedications and apologizing to John for the piano, which makes a giggle ripple throughout the grandiose ballroom.

"And now, I'd like to ask my girlfriend, Jade, to join me onstage". Rose says, and your suprise must be evident on your face as you make your way onstage. Rose takes a small, black, velvet box off of the podium and turns to you, smiling brightly. She's never looked more beautiful. 

Rose lowers herself onto one knee, her dress complying easily to the action, and you bring a hand up to your mouth.

"Jade Harley, you are the one true love of my life and it would be the greatest honor and pleasure in the world if you would have me as your wife," Rose says, and you can feel yourself tearing up. You nod, over and over again because she's taken your breath away and you don't know what to say, and Rose slides the gorgeous ring onto the ring finger of your left hand. 

You're happier than you've ever been before in your entire life.

**R O S E**

Your wedding is gorgeous. You both walk down the aisle, and you meet in the middle under an arch- John gives Jade away and Dave gives you away, and Feferi and Kanaya are your maids of honor. Jade wears gold, rather than the traditional white, and you chose lilac.

The two of you never really did like tradition that much.

You remember how much you had hated her, at the very beginning, and you wish you could go back and make amends- but then again, your rudeness was the reason you met. Jade forgives you over and over, whenever you even begin to mention it; reminding you that "there's no point in holding a grudge against something that bloomed something wonderful."

After you graduated, you joined the New York Ballet as an understudy, and Jade decided that she was going to stay on as a teacher's assistant at Skaia. You officially started dating on your graduation day, when you decided to get an apartment together. Dave and Karkat got married during Karkat's second year at university, with Jade filling the role of Dave's "best woman because honestly fuck y'all and your gender bullshit". Feferi and Sollux moved to Washington to go to university together with John, the trio still going strong, even after years of dating.

And when you went touring for _En Pointe_? Jade stayed at home and skyped you every night and promised to go to every show of your tours when you made it big. She was there in the front row of your first NYC show after signing a deal with a dance company, smiling wide and she clapped the loudest as the curtain closed. Jade has stuck with you every step of the way, and you don't think you'll ever regret marrying her.

There will always be struggles, you think. Nothing's ever _really_ gonna be perfect, sometimes you'll fall, but you know when you do Jade will be right there to help you back up.

"Rose?" Jade says, and you snap out of your daydream to look up at your wife. "You ok?"

You smile, kissing her lightly on the corner of her mouth. "Yeah, Jade," you say. "I don't think I've ever been better".

 

**END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nB7CQRni50 credit to Amelie Segarra, the gorgeous ballerina who really did dance on knives- i highly recommend the video!
> 
> It has been awesome writing this, and i want to thank each and every one of you who commented and liked this fic along the way, and i want to thank all future and current readers <3


End file.
